Where Shadows Bloom

Starred review from November 4, 2024
For years, Ofelia de Bouchilion, 17, has dreamed of the opulent, gods-blessed palace Le Château Enchanté, the only refuge against deadly Shadows that plague the land. She soon persuades her mother to petition the king for admittance, but when she never returns, Ofelia sets out to find her. Accompanying Ofelia is 17-year-old Caballera Lope de la Rosa, her best friend and sworn protector. Together they discover that the rumors of Le Château’s fabled beauty and decadence are true—within its walls, Shadows are a forbidden topic, and its noble residents distract themselves from the horrors throughout the land with balls and parties. While the girls slowly explore the complexities of their long-hidden love for each other, they also uncover Le Château’s deepest mysteries. And as Ofelia seeks her missing mother, she attracts the attention of the king, whose eternal youth hides even darker secrets. In this serene tale of love and longing, Bakewell (Flowerheart) conjures a beguiling setting filled with danger and desire. Though the backdrop bears resemblance to 17th-century Spain, and plotting draws loosely from the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, the result is uniquely magical, romantic, and poetic. Ages 13–up. Agent: Jordan Hamessley, JABberwocky Literary.

December 15, 2024
Seventeen-year-old Ofelia de Bouchillon longs for the gilded halls of Le Ch�teau Enchant�, a palace blessed by the gods and filled with glamorous courtiers who enjoy endless parties. Unfortunately, Ofelia's mother, Mirabelle, has long denied her wishes. The pair live in a rundown manor, protected by a hired group of sworn knights who include Ofelia's best friend, Lope. The knights and the wall surrounding the manor are the only things keeping them safe from the deadly Shadows that plague their world. Once only seen during "the darkest part of the night," the vaporous beings are now appearing during daylight hours to claim their victims' lives. Lope vows to protect Ofelia from the Shadows with her life. But when Ofelia's mother disappears, the young women journey to Le Ch�teau to search for her. There they believe they're finally free from the Shadows, but despite the apparent safety of the palace, with its lavish, extravagant f�tes, Lope is convinced that the king is hiding a dark secret. Unfortunately, Ofelia doesn't notice anything amiss, and even her growing love for Lope cannot make her see the truth. While Ofelia's choices can be frustrating, this stand-alone fantasy set in a world that evokes early modern Spain and France is original and a quick and enjoyable read despite its length. The will-they, won't-they romance told in alternating points of view is delightful, especially since queer romances are nothing taboo in this universe. Love blooms in this well-developed Sapphic high-fantasy adventure.(Fantasy. 14-18)

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January 1, 2025
Grades 9-12 Seventeen-year-old Ofelia has grown up behind the protective walls encircling her family's manor, kept safe from the monstrous, killer Shadows. When their knights report an increase in the number of Shadows, Ofelia's mother leaves to appeal to the king for residence at Le Ch�teau Enchant�, which is rumored to be free of Shadows due to being blessed by the gods. When she doesn't return, Ofelia and her favorite knight, Lope, follow her to the palace. Le Ch�teau is everything Ofelia has dreamed it would be, a beautiful haven where she hopes to confess her feelings to Lope. Lope, similarly pining for Ofelia, is less convinced by Le Ch�teau's mystique, especially as the king forbids talk of the Shadows. While Ofelia is charmed by the attentive king and believes his story about her mother's sudden convalescence, Lope works to uncover his darkest secrets. Though Ofelia's naive obliviousness can be frustrating, especially when it brings her into conflict with steadfast Lope, their sapphic romance is delightfully swoony, while the mystery at the heart of Le Ch�teau Enchant� is suitably dark, but with a well-earned happy ending.

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